Blues bring more
miseryNo answers for SJ on the road3/12/09 - By Mike Lee

With a month to go in the
regular season, the Sharks turned in another performance devoid of anything
close playoff intensity on Thursday night in St Louis . Their 3-1 loss to the
host Blues creates new questions about the viability of a prolonged run once
the post season begins. After jumping out to an early lead, San Jose sat back
and let St Louis put up three unanswered goals and lost for the sixth time in
the last eight games.

After Patrick Marleaus power play goal at
11:30 of the first period, the Sharks misfired on their next man-advantage
chances, including three in the final 10 minutes of the game.

A T.J.
Oshie boarding penalty put the Sharks on the power play at 10:29 of the 1st
period, opening the door for San Jose . Marleau put a Christian Ehrhoff feed
past Blues goaltender Chris Mason a minute later. Dan Boyle hit Ehrhoff with a
pass from the blueline along the left wing boards. As Ehrhoff carried the puck
toward the left corner, he put the puck on Marleaus tape near the inside
of the left circle for the one-timer that beat Mason to the stick side.

St Louis would tie the game with 3:12 left in the period on a Sharks
turnover at center ice. Left winger David Perron picked off a weak dump in
attempt by Ehrhoff, then skated the puck up ice. With rookie defenseman Derek
Joslin barring down on him, Perron slid the puck to his left to Andy McDonald,
who buried the pass past Brian Boucher.

Jody Shelley engaged Cam
Janssen in a spirited fight 5 minutes into the 2nd period, but that was the
only fight the Sharks had left in their game.

The Sharks fell prey to
an odd play midway through the period, when Travis Moen tried to lay a check in
front of the Blues bench. The Sharks forward ended up taking out a lineman,
then got pinned under the official as the Blues skated in on Boucher with a
3-on-2 advantage.

Former Sharks prospect Brad Boyes was the trailer on
the play, and snapped a shot from the high slot past Boucher for the 2-1 lead.
Boyes didnt even realize the puck had slipped past Boucher until the
crowd jumped to their feet.

A slew of penalties to both teams
prevented either side from establishing much flow. Doulas Murray was sent off
for kneeing 20 seconds after Jamie McGinn was whistled for holding.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic would follow that with a high-sticking penalty less than 20
seconds after that.

The Sharks penalty kill was the one right spot on
the evening, suppressing the Blues extended 5-on-3 power play.

St
Louis returned the favor by giving the Sharks three power play chances late in
the game, including a tripping penalty by Oshie with 1:20 to play. Sharks head
coach Todd McLellan pulled Boucher to give the Sharks the 2-man advantage, but
they were unable to generate any pressure on Mason.

Barrett Jackman ended any suspense by intercepting a
pass in his own zone and sending a shot the length of the ice into the empty
net.

Game Notes:

Marleau's goal gave him 35 for the
season, a new career high for the Sharks captain. He had 34 goals during the
2006-07 season. Tomas Plihal was injured during the morning skate, and was
scratched from the lineup. The Sharks would not disclose what the injury is.

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